1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to air conditioning systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to receiver-dryers and desiccant bags utilized in air conditioning systems.
2. The Prior Art
Receiver-dryers are employed by air conditioning systems to remove water and to filter impurities from the refrigerants that circulate through the air conditioning systems. Porous bags filled with desiccant matter (desiccant bags) are frequently used to perform contaminant filtration and water absorption in receiver-dryers. Alternatively, at least one known receiver-dryer includes loose particles of desiccant sandwiched between upper and lower filtration plates. Unfortunately, it can be difficult and time consuming to assemble a receiver-dryer that utilizes such prior art desiccant elements.
A conventional receiver-dryer typically includes a hollow body that receives an inward flow of refrigerant and an output tube that carries the treated refrigerant out of the body. In a cylindrical receiver-dryer body, the output tube is centrally positioned such that it extends downward from an output duct located at the top of the body. A donut-shaped desiccant bag resides on the output tube and is located within the body such that the refrigerant passes through the desiccant bag en route to the output tube.
Conventional desiccant bags are formed from porous, flexible fabric and, consequently, they lack an appreciable amount of structural rigidity near their mounting holes and near their peripheral edges. One known receiver-dryer utilizes upper and lower baffles to maintain the desiccant bag (or bags) in a predetermined location along the output tube. In addition, the baffles themselves are secured within the body via snap rings, clips, or other fastening elements. Consequently, such receiver-dryers can be difficult to assemble and the associated manufacturing costs can be undesirably high.